Rehabilitation

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy/ (or physiotherapy), often abbreviated PT, is a healthcare profession that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. Physical therapists (or physiotherapists/PTs) are primary healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions, illnesses, or injuries that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities as well as they would like in their daily lives.

Physical therapists examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles, providing services to individuals and populations to develop maintain, and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. This includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease, or environmental factors.

Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, and rehabilitation.  This encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Physical therapy involves the interaction between physical therapists, patients/clients, other health professionals, families, caregivers, and communities in a process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon, using knowledge and skills unique to physical therapists.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy promotes health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful occupations.  Occupation can be defined as the “active process of living: from the beginning to the end of life.” Occupations are all the active processes of looking after ourselves and others, enjoying life, and being socially and economically productive over the lifespan.  These include (but are not limited to) work, leisure, self-care, domestic and community activities.

The World Federation of Occupational Therapists provides the following definition of Occupational Therapy:  “Occupational therapy is as a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation.  The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life.  Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by enabling people to do things that will enhance their ability to participate or by modifying the environment to better support participation.”

Speech Therapy

Speech and language pathology
Speech and language pathologists provide a wide range of services, mainly on an individual basis, but also as support for individuals, families, support groups, and providing information to the general public.  Speech services begin with initial screening for communication for the provision of advice regarding management, intervention and treatment, provision counseling and other follow-up services for these disorders.
Speech-language pathology provides treatment intervention in the following areas:

• Cognitive aspects of communication
• Speech Language including comprehension and expressions in oral, written graphic, and manual modalities
• Swallowing
• Sensory and awareness-related communication